TaoTao TBR7 Gas Tank Leaking From Bottom Problem – FAQ

I often read this in the Chinese motorcycle forums:

• TaoTao TBR7 motorcycle gas tank is leaking; Help! Why is gas leaking out of my TaoTao TBR7’s gas tank?
• Where can a gas leak out of a TBR7 motorcycle gas tank? I have a gas leak; why?

I wouldn’t say I liked reading those posts, but the good news was people found those gas leaks before they became a real problem. A real serious problem.

My TaoTao TBR7 Does Not Have A Gas Leak.

I am not flexing, and I am just stating a fact. Also, I want to share why I might not have a gas leak, and many other people do.

Most of the forum posts I read have the lead occurring at the backside of the gas tank, where there is a single mounting bolt. After some back and forth posts about how to fix the gas tank leak and what the source can be, I have deduced what could have initially caused the leak.

This information is just my opinion, but these might be reasons for the gas tank leakage.

Causes For TBR7 Motorcycle Gas Tank Leaking:

Based on observations and research from many online posts by other TaoTao TBR7 Motorcycle Owners.

1.- A Weak Gas Tank Weld On The TBR7.  

The TBR7 doesn’t scream ‘quality’ when you see it. So finding a defective component or assembly process shouldn’t be a surprise, and we TBR7 owners should work around known problems. The fuel tank weld is only strong enough to hold gas inside the tank, and the weld is not designed for any other forces to act on it.

2.- The TBR7’s Gas Tank Mounting Bolt Is Over-torqued.

Let’s face it, as TBR7 motorcycle owners. We are used to losing bolts and parts falling off, pushing these motorcycles a little hard.  

In other countries, these are luxury items used on slow-speed roads, and we see them here in the US as cheap disposable toys that we force to work harder on our faster US roads.

The mounting bolt is on a rubber cushion. This cushion flexes and provides compression to hold the tank in place and put slight pressure on the bolt. An over-torqued bolt shouldn’t fully compress that rubber cushion, and doing this takes the spring out of the rubber cushion and stresses the metal.

I Prevent Motorcycle Gas Tank Leaks On My TBR7.

When I remove the gas tank, and you might too for valve clearance checks, etc., I am gentle, and I avoid dropping the tank or roughly placing the gas tank on the ground.

Also, when it comes time to reinstall the gas tank, I use a thread locker on the gas tank mounting bolt, and only hand tighten the bolt to ‘snug’: no bolt cranking or deformation of the metal around the tank.

The tank is held in place by the bolt. The bolt is held in place by friction and thread locker. The rubber cushion supports the gas tank.

Am I Right?

Not sure, but I do not have a gas tank leak with my TBR7. And, if I am wrong and something does go wrong, I plan to update this post.

Hawk 250 Gas Tank Leaks From The Bottom Problems, Too?

Gas tank leaks aren’t just limited to the TaoTao TBR7; it seems there are many posts by Hawk 250 owners claiming the same problem. I do not own a Hawk 250, but since they are Chonda Cousins to the TBR7, I figure the Hawk 250 might be suffering from the same problems the TBR7 is.

Again, just my opinion, but safely handling the gas tank and not overpowering bolts will go a long way to avoiding gas tank leaks. Please comment if you have better ideas.

Now A Chonda FAQ.  

Gas Tank leakages are so common; from the number of posts I read, this is now a Chonda FAQ.  

If you have a story about a gas tank leak from your TBR7 or any motorcycle, please share your experience and comment below.

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